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Community raises $60,000 in one week to support grieving family

February 19, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A fundraising campaign launched through GoFundMe is drawing strong community support for the children of a local mother whose family is now facing life without her.

The online fundraiser, titled Supporting Amber’s Children, was created to help cover immediate and long-term expenses for her three children and their father, Corey Russell, after the passing of their mother and wife, Amber Russell.

The funds are intended to assist with new childcare arrangements, including before- and after-school care and daycare, as well as the everyday costs associated with raising a young family.

Melanie Elliott, the organizer behind the GoFundMe, said that the money will be carefully invested in the future of the kids by their father.

“Russell’s intention is to use the funds thoughtfully, to help with immediate needs and to set aside savings for the children as they grow older,” she said. “That includes supporting their future education and post-secondary opportunities. Corey and Amber have raised incredibly bright, capable children, and this fund will help ensure their potential continues to be nurtured in the years ahead.”

Organizers say the goal is to provide stability for the family while they adjust to significant changes in their daily lives.

“More than anything, these kids need love, consistency, and a community that continues to show up for them,” Elliott said.

Amber and her family have been part of the Orangeville community since 2013, where they built strong local ties through volunteer work, childcare and community involvement. Known for her caring and compassionate nature, Amber volunteered as a Girl Guide leader and served on a school parent council.

Elliott said that Amber, a stay-at-home mother, also provided childcare for other families, offering a welcoming, supportive environment for the children in her care.

“Amber was the kind of person who quietly made a big impact. She was warm, thoughtful, and deeply caring,” Elliot said. “She volunteered in the community as a Girl Guide leader and was on the Parent Council for her girl’s school. She was always willing to lend a hand where it was needed.”

She added, “For many families, her home was a safe, loving place their kids went every day. She didn’t just ‘watch’ children, she nurtured them, protected them, and treated them like her own, and that’s speaking from personal experience.

Amber and Corey Russell had been together since 2011 and raised three children – Hailey-Jade, Olivia and Crew.

Amber played a constant role in her children’s upbringing, managing daily routines and caring for their needs, including serving as the full-time caregiver for their youngest child. The fundraiser aims to help maintain the stability and opportunities she worked to provide for them.

After just over a week of fundraising, beginning on Feb. 10, community support has pushed the fundraising campaign past $60,000, placing it just shy of its $70,000 overall goal within a very short window.

Family members said the outpouring of support from the community has been deeply meaningful. Donations, messages of encouragement, meals and other gestures of kindness have demonstrated the impact Amber had on those around her and reflected the strong sense of compassion within the community.

Russell said that the support he’s seen for their family is a perfect reflection of who Amber was as a person.

“The donations are a testament to who Amber was, and that’s exactly what it feels like. The generosity we’ve seen reflects the impact she had on so many families and lives,” he said. 

“The Orangeville community should be incredibly proud. The way people have shown up through donations, messages, meals, and quiet acts of kindness. It speaks volumes about the kind of community this is. In the midst of heartbreak, there has been such a powerful display of compassion.”

Russell added, “It’s a reminder that Amber’s love and influence extended far beyond her own home, and that her children are surrounded by a community that truly cares. Orangeville, thank you.”

To view the GoFundMe and further information, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-ambers-children.

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